Geno's Son-In-Law Is – Surprise! – A Basketball Coach

March 09, 2014|Jeff Jacobs

UNCASVILLE — As he sat there Saturday, a couple of rows behind Andre Drummond at Mohegan Sun Arena, Todd Stigliano got as big a kick as anyone as his father-in-law danced away from a tumble of bodies that threatened to wipe him out.

Stefanie Dolson, official AAC defensive player of the year and unofficial AAC dancer of the year, couldn't resist going over to the sidelines and doing a midgame choreographic parody of her coach's moves. Geno Auriemma couldn't help but break into a laugh.

"Geno's a great father-in-law," said Stigliano, the coach of the No. 9-ranked New Britain High basketball team. "Anybody who speaks to him on a regular basis knows that, knows he isn't what some see in the media."

"He's very down to earth and relaxed. I'm Italian. He's a typical Italian. It's easy for us to have a conversation. He has been great to me from the beginning."

The beginning for Stigliano came with a phone call from his aunt and uncle. Danny and Jody Delmastro of East Hartford, UConn ticket holders who had become good friends with Geno and Kathy Auriemma through the years, were out with them one night. Jenna Auriemma was there.

"My aunt and uncle hadn't seen Jenna since she was young," Stigliano said. "They called me and said, 'You should come, hang out and meet Geno's daughter.' I said, 'OK, sure, no problem.' I was in Providence. 'I'll meet you guys tomorrow and we'll go out.' We went out, hit if off. It was really easy for us. The rest is history."

History is Todd's and Jenna's son, Christian, born in August 2010, and Geno's joking that his first grandson would probably play soccer like his dad and grow up head-butting and taking dives. History is a second grandson, Andrew, born last year. But before any of that, however, there was the matter of seeking the Hall of Fame coach's blessing to marry his older daughter.

"He did the old let's play golf so he could ask me," Auriemma said. "He's an old-fashioned kind of kid. Get your blessing. I like that. But my son [Michael] found out we were playing golf and he weaseled his way in. So now Todd's thinking, 'Man, I've got that guy, too.' It worked out great."

Stigliano, 33, played basketball and soccer at Newington High before becoming a four-year letter winner at Providence in soccer. Graduating in 2003, he won a Big East Aeropostale Scholar Student-Athlete Award. After he began teaching math at New Britain, he approached coach Stan Glowiak about helping out.

Stigliano began as a volunteer, staying on as an assistant for six years. When Glowiak retired after two decades as head coach, Stigliano sought and got the job in October 2010.

Asked what he thought of his son-in-law as a basketball coach, Auriemma said, "I think he's out of his mind. You watch him on the sidelines, actually he has calmed down a lot. He played for [legendary] Joe Reilly at Newington, so you know he has a good background in basketball."

"He's very passionate. He's really into the game, into the players at not an easy place, I think, to coach. There are a lot of issues I'm sure you have to deal with at New Britain that you don't have to at a lot of other high schools. Stan Glowiak did a phenomenal job. For Todd to take over for Stan, it's not an easy thing to do. He has done a good job."

A very good job this season. Even after a loss to Weaver in the CCC tournament, New Britain, 18-4, is ranked ninth in the state in the New Haven Register media poll heading into its first Class LL playoff game Tuesday against Danbury. Led by Fairfield Prep, Class LL is loaded. Bridgeport Central, Crosby-Waterbury, Greenwich, New Britain, Westhill-Stamford, Ridgefield …

"Not that Fairfield Prep isn't the outright favorite," Stigliano said. "They are and they deserve to be, but look at that bracket. There's so much depth. From that standpoint it's the closest I've seen it."

"We've got a good group of eight seniors. This is the first class that came in with me and will finish with me. They have a lot of talent. They're a good group of kids. It's definitely a special team."

Soccer was Stigliano's game when he was a kid. Once he got into basketball, he fell in love with the game. The tempo, the atmosphere, was totally different. He knew he wanted to coach. He didn't know what sport. Then again, how could he have known who'd be there as a guiding force?

"It's unbelievable for me to have an asset like [Auriemma]," Stigliano said. "I think I've written down more plays on napkins than anyone in the history of basketball. Every time we go over their house, we end up talking shop and you learn something every time. Is there a better mentor to have than someone who is clearly one of the best coaches in the history of women's basketball?"

Auriemma has been to more games in the past, but the travel demands of the AAC schedule have allowed him only one game this season against Simsbury. He's itching to see the Class LL playoffs.

So does Stigliano pick Auriemma's brain for X's and O's? Or about motivation and relationships?